Thursday, May 28, 1998 Last modified at 1:17 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, 1998

New Kind Of Warfare

THE U.S. MARINES CORPS is getting ready for a new kind of warfare. It is one that we hope Marines never have to use, but they need to have the proper training and weapons in place if they do.

Marine commandant Charles Krulak notes that future conflicts involving U.S. troops may well be fought in cities. An increasing amount of the world's population will be living in urban areas in the 21st Century, and the face of warfare may drastically change.

To prepare for what the future may hold, the Marines have launched an urban warfare training program that has included exercises in Chicago, Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.

The next stage is a training course for Marine squadrons that will prepare leaders for making tactical decisions in urban fighting. Squadrons will be trained to avoid civilian casualties by using non-lethal fighting strategies.

The preparation for urban warfare will also involve a new look for the Marines. Uniforms will have elbow, knee and wrist pads. Flak jackets will have a built-in handle on the backs to that soldiers can lift each other through windows.

Specialized weapons are being developed. Rifles will have mirror devices for looking around corners. Other weapons are being designed to fire over mounds of rubble.

If urban fighting never becomes a reality for American troops, all of the training and preparation will become just an expensive exercise. But if urban warfare is coming, the preparation will be invaluable.

As Gen. Krulak said, "If we don't learn and understand the types of equipment and tactics we're going to need in there, we're in big trouble."

The world is changing, and defense strategies must change with it. What is considered to be conventional warfare on one day could be outdated within a short time.